Lift truck



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ATTORNEY Aug. 11, 1964 H. L. HENRY 3,144,239

LIFT TRUCK Filed Nov. 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY L. HENRY ATTORNEY H. L. HENRY Aug. 11, 1964 LIFT TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 19, 1962 lvl Llr]

INVENTOR. HARRY HENRY ATTORNEY H. L. HENRY Aug. l1, 1964 LIFT TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov'. 19, 1962 INVENTOR.

HARRY L. HENRY BY ATTORNEY H. L. HENRY LIFT TRUCK Aug. 11, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 19, 1962 INVENTOR. HARRY L. NR lax/QM ATTRN EY United States Patent O 3,144,239 LIFT TRUCK Harry L. Henry, 629 W. Hunting Park Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Nov. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 238,374 2 Claims. (Cl. `254--4) My invention relates to a lift truck of the general type shown in Patents Nos. 2,604,640; 2,739,785; 2,840,346 and 2,998,960.

One object of the invention is to produce an improved lift truck of the type set forth.

In restaurants, meeting halls, and the like, it is necessary to move a large number of tables and chairs to one side of the room for storage, or to permit scrubbing of one portion of the iioor and to move them back when needed, or to permit scrubbing of another portion. This is done by placing the chairs on the tables and then lifting and moving the chair-laden tables from one location to another. A table loaded with chairs is heavy and two men are needed to raise and move each table back and forth.

Tables are usually placed in straight rows or in other geometric patterns, or in definite locations. As is `well known, two persons handling a table tend to push and pull at cross purposes and it therefore takes longer for two men accurately to locate a table than it would take if the table were to be handled by one person alone. But, except in the case of very small tables, one person cannot lift and move the larger and heavier chair-laden tables.

It is therefore a further object of the invention to produce an improved, manually operable lift truck which can be manipulated by one person and which can be readily used for raising and moving chair-laden tables from one place to another, as well as for re-locating the tables in the desired positions.

Generally speaking, tables are supported on peripheral legs or on central pedestals and it is therefore a still further object of the invention to provide a lift truck for use with each of the types of tables mentioned.

These and other objects are attained by my invention as set forth in the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a lift truck embodying the invention as adapted for lifting leg-supported tables.

FIG. 2 is a reduced top perspective view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a reduced side elevational view showing the position of the operating mechanism when the truck is not in use.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but showing the position of the operating mechanism when the truck is in use.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary views showing details of the operating mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the lift truck of this invention as adapted for lifting pedestalsupported tables.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing details of construction of the truck shown in FIG. 8.

As best shown in FIG. l, a truck embodying my invention includes upper arms 10, 12, 14 and 16 and corresponding lower arms 18, 20, 22 and 24, all of which radiate outwardly from a central post 26. The outer ends of registering arms and 18 are fixedly secured to channel shaped upright member 28; the outer ends of registering arms 12 and 20 are fixedly secured to channel shaped upright member 30; the outer ends of arms 14 and 18 are fixedly secured to channel shaped upright member 32, and the center ends of arms 16 and 24 are fixedly secured to channel shaped upright member 34. Upright members 28, 30, 32 and 34 are fixed and are provided 3,144,239 Patented Aug'. 11, 1964 Cce with supporting swivel Wheels 36. Two of the upper arms, such as arms 10 and 16, are provided with adjustable brackets 38, the upright outer ends 40 of which are adapted to engage the adjacent vertical edges 42 of table top 44 to limit movement of the truck relative to the underside of the table top. Brackets 38 may be adjusted relative to arms 10 and 16 by wing nuts engaging slots 45, or in any other manner.

Telescopically associated with uprights 28, 30, 32 and 34 are movable channel shaped uprights 46, 48, 50 and 52, respectively, which, when the truck is not lifting a table, assume the lower position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in which their upper ends are substantially fiush with their corresponding fixed uprights. Gravity can be relied on to keep the movable uprights in said lower p0- sition. But, in the preferred embodiment, movable uprights 46, 48, 50 and 52 are biased downwardly by springs 54, only one of which is shown in connection with coacting fixed and movable uprights 32 and 50. The preferred manner of assembling said springs is shown in FIG. 7, from which it will be seen that the upper end of each spring 54 engages a hole 55 in the corresponding movable upright 50 and that the lower end of the spring is secured to the corresponding fixed upright 32, or to a transverse pin 58, which is fixedly carried by the fixed upright and the ends of which pass through guide slots 60 formed in the opposite walls of the corresponding movable uprlght 50. Movable upright 50 is also provided with an upper slot 62 which is engaged by the ends of another transverse pin 64 which is also carried by fixed upright 32. It will be understood that pins 58 and 64 and slots 60 and 62 insure proper alignment of uprights 32 and 50 and prevent binding.

Movable uprights 46, 48, 50 and 52 are raised relative to their corresponding fixed uprights by the mechanism best shown in FIG. 1. This mechanism includes a bail 70, the limbs 72 and 74 of which are pivotally connected, by pin 76, to the upper endl of a lever 78 which is pivoted, by means of rotary pin 80, to bracket 82 which is fixed to center post 26. Lever 78 carries a pin 88 to which the ends of cables 89, 90, 91 and 92 are tied. The other ends of the cables are secured t0 the respective movable uprights 46, 48, 5l) and 52, as by looping the ends of the cables through holes 9S and 96 provided in each of the movable uprights. In order to adjust the effective length of the cables, lever 78 is provided with a number of vertically spaced holes 86 in which pin 88 may be selectively plugged.

After leaving pin 88, the cables pass over pivot pin and over fixed, or rotary, guide elements rotates bail 70 in clockwise direction, FIG. 6, and, 98 and 100, and over pivot four freely rotating puileys, 102, 103, 104 and 105 which are near the top of center post 26. After leaving their respective pulleys, the cables pass over pulleys or other fixed, or rotary, guide elements 107 which are carried by fixed uprights 28, 30, 32 and 34, and only one of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 7.

The operation is as follows:

Brackets 38 are adjusted relative to arms 10 and 16 and, with bail 70 and lever 78 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the truck is moved to a position below the table top 44, or until the vertical ends 40 of brackets 32 abut edge 42 of table top. The operator now depresses bail 70 by hand to cause the left hand end 108 of lever 78 to project, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4, slightly beyond the adjacent fixed uprights 28 and 34. Further downward foot pressure on lever 78 pulls bail 70 downwardly and allows its upper end or handle 110 to clear the underside of the table top. The operator now tucks handle 110 under the table top, as` shown in FIG. 4. In the absence of lifting pressure, the table moves down until it comes to rest on the upper end 110 of bail 70. This keeps lever 78 from returning to the position of FIG. 3 when the operator lets go of bail 70. Movement of lever 78 to the position of FIG. 4 moves pin 98 in counterclockwise direction, FIG. 6, and exerts a pull on all of vthe cables to move uprights 46, 48, .50 and 52 upwardly and raise the table off the oor, or

from the position of FIG. 3 to that of FIG. 4. The truck may now be easily moved on wheels 36 and, when the desired location is reached, the operator again presses down on the end 108 of lever 78 with his foot to raise the table enough to permit the operator to pull handle 110 to the left until it clears the table top. When this is done, the operator releases the pressure on lever 78 to return the parts to the position of FIG. 3 in which the table legs rest on the floor.

From the drawings, it will be seen that lever 78 and bail 70 are located between the legs of the table and that, when the table is being moved, only the end 108 of lever 78 protrudes slightly so as to be readily available to the operators foot. It will also be seen that the lifting members 46, 48, 50 and 52 engage widely spaced points along the underside of the table top whereby the table top remains substantially horizontal when the table is lifted off the floor. To replace the table in its original, or use, position, the operator sights the edge of the table with another, or with some fixed landmark, and deposits it on the floor in the manner described. It will still be further seen that springs S4 minimize rattling and by exerting a positive downward pull on the movable uprights, they prevent the cables from jumping their respective pulleys which could happen if a cable goes slack because, for some reason, the corresponding upright did not move to its lowermost position.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is operated by the mechanism of the embodiment shown in FIGS. l to 7 and is adapted for use in connection with a pedestalsupported table by merely omitting one of the fixed and 4rnovable uprights and by arranging the remaining three members in the form of a U, or a V, the mouth, or open end of which, receives the pedestal of the table to permit lifting members to engage adequately distributed points on the underside of the table to lift the table with its top in a substantially horizontal position.

By reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, it will be seen that I use three fixed uprights 112, 114 and 116 which are suitably integrated to form a rigid triangle, with upright 114 serving as center post 26 of the embodiment of FIG. 1. Fixed uprights 112, 114 and 116 have associated therewith, movable uprights 118, 120 and 122 which are raised and lowered in the manner of their counterparts in FIG. 1.

Since, as stated, the structure and operation of the parts are identical with the structure and operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1, it is thought unnecessary to reiterate the same in full. Instead, the operating parts shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 are designated by the reference numerals used to designate their counterparts in FIGS. 1 to 7. It is thought sufcient to say that, when a pedestal-supported table is to be moved, the truck of FIG. 8 is moved to its table-lifting position with the space between xed uprights 112 and 114 facing, or in a position to receive, the pedestal 124 of the table. With the pedestal of the table near the apex of the V-formation of FIG. 8, the movable uprights 118, 120, and 122 will, when raised, engage sufficiently widely spaced points on the underside of the table to insure that the top of the table will remain horizontal enough not spill the chairs stacked thereon.

What I claim is:

1. A lift truck for raising and lowering a table, or the like relative to a supporting floor, said truck including a center post,

at least two radially extending arms secured to said center post in angularly spaced relation to each other,

fixed uprights secured to each of said arms respectively, f vertically movable uprights associated with said xed uprights,

pulleys carried by said center post,

cables passing over said pulleys, respectively and connected at one end thereof to said movable uprights respectively,

an operating lever,

mounting means pivotally mounting said lever, intermediate its ends to a support adjacent said post, the other ends of said cables being connected to said lever, and

a guide element carried by the portion of said lever between said mounting means and said post and engageable with said cables whereby rotation of said lever in one direction moves said guide element in a direction to exert a pull on said cables to raise said movable uprights and whereby opposite movement of said lever moves said guide element in the opposite direction to relieve said pull.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 and an actuating handle pivotally connected to said operating lever and movable to a first position in which the upper end thereof engages the underside of the table top and immobilizes said lever, said handle being movable to a second position in which it is out of engagement with said table top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A LIFT TRUCK FOR RAISING AND LOWERING A TABLE, OR THE LIKE RELATIVE TO A SUPPORTING FLOOR, SAID TRUCK INCLUDING A CENTER POST, AT LEAST TWO RADIALLY EXTENDING ARMS SECURED TO SAID CENTER POST IN ANGULARLY SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER, FIXED UPRIGHTS SECURED TO EACH OF SAID ARMS RESPECTIVELY, VERTICALLY MOVABLE UPRIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIXED UPRIGHTS, PULLEYS CARRIED BY SAID CENTER POST, CABLES PASSING OVER SAID PULLEYS, RESPECTIVELY AND CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID MOVABLE UPRIGHTS RESPECTIVELY, AN OPERATING LEVER, MOUNTING MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID LEVER, INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO A SUPPORT ADJACENT SAID POST, 